UB Astrophotography Team coordinated by M Fauzan Edipurnomo consists of Eka Maulana, Waru Djuriatno, M Aswin, A A Razak, and several Laboratory Staff of the Faculty of Engineering, predicting that this year’s Ramadhan there will be a solar eclipse. This is because there is a conjunction of the sun and moon before 1 Shawwal 1444.
Eka said, a total solar eclipse can be observed in eastern to central Indonesia, while a partial solar eclipse can be observed from central to western Indonesia.
“The solar eclipse phenomenon is expected to occur on April 20, 2023,” said Eka Maulana.
Eka added, people who are in the western part of Indonesia, especially Malang City, can enjoy this partial solar eclipse from 9.28 WIB to 12.22 WIB.
“The peak of solar eclipse occurred at 10:52 a.m. with an eclipse magnitude of 67%. The total eclipse time is 2 hours 55 minutes,” said Eka.
The occurrence of a solar eclipse has the potential to cause a reduction in the intensity of solar infrared radiation that falls into the earth’s ionosphere.
This phenomenon makes it possible to reduce the number of photons which are electromagnetic waves that are above the earth, where their nature as electromagnetic waves acts as a transmission medium in sending satellite, radio, cell phone signals, and signals from other similar communication devices.
“If these communication devices are not set with a tolerance threshold for changes in radiation intensity, then there is a chance that the data transmission will be affected. It is very likely that this change in radiation can also be felt by other living things that are sensitive to changes in the intensity of electromagnetic waves, such as reptiles, birds and certain plant species,” he said.
Facing this phenomenon, Eka and the team suggest to always be alert to all forms of climate change, weather, and other natural phenomena.
“That the existence of these phenomena are natural signs from the Creator that we should learn from and take the wisdom. It is recommended to see the solar eclipse with a solar filter, so that this radiation does not directly hit our eyes,” he said.
While responding to the beginning of Ramadan is expected to occur on Thursday 23 March 2023 between the reckoning method (MD) and the rukyatul hilal (NU) method.
According to the reckoning method, 1 Ramadhan will fall on Thursday 23 March 2023 with the position of the new moon on Wednesday reaching 7 degrees in Malang City. Meanwhile, according to the rukyatul hilal method with the criteria of imkanur rukyat 1 Ramadhan 1444H is predicted to fall on the same day (Thursday, March 23, 2023) with the possibility that the moon can be seen especially in western Indonesia if the sky is clear with the height of the hilal reaching 8 degrees and an elongation angle of more than 9 degrees in the city of Sabang the previous day.
While Eid will be different between NU and Muhammadiyah, the reckoning method (MD) decides 1 Shawwal 1444H falls on Friday 21 April 2023 with the height of the new moon on the previous day 1 degree 47 minutes 58 arc seconds. While the Rukyatul hilal method uses the imkanur rukyat criterion on that day the hilal is most likely not to be seen because it is still under the MABIMS criteria of 3 degrees and an elongation angle of 6.4 degrees, even though it is observed from the western part of Indonesia (Sabang City) with a hilal height of 1 degree on that day. Thursday 20 April 2023.
“It is very likely that the new moon cannot be seen on that day with aids, especially if the sky is cloudy. So that 1 Shawwal has the potential to fall on Saturday (22 April 2022),” he said. (*/Humas UB/ Trans. Iir)
